Tuesday, December 23

Twelve Gifts of Christmas

Inquiring readers, During this month of holiday celebrations, Laurel Ann and I will be offering the Twelve Gifts of Christmas. Some of the gifts will be giveaways, others will be free offerings online, and still others will be great gift ideas for you to give to others. Every gift will have a special relationship to this blog, us, or Jane Austen. Today we are happy to offer another great giveaway: volumes one through five of The Pemberley Chronicles as a set to one lucky winner.

Gift Twelve: Giveaway of The Pemberley Chronicles Books 1- 5

“No Regency soap opera, but a work true to the spirit of Jane Austen’s characters, The Pemberley Chronicles are an intriguing, moving and unprentious narrative, which follows the stories of the “Pemberley families” with affection and humour.” The Shades of Pemberley website

The Pemberley Chronicles was first published in Australia in 1997 fueled by the author’s life-long passion for Jane Austen, and the 1995 BBC/A&E production of Pride and Prejudice and are now available internationally in new editions. As the adaptation and novel conclude with the wedding of the Bennet sisters to Darcy and Bingley, the novels continue exploring their lives together, their families trials and exploits, and challenges in a changing society of early 19th-century England.

The five books available in this giveaway include:

The Pemberley Chronicles: Book 1

The Women of Pemberley: Book 2

Netherfield Park Revisted: Book 3

The Ladies of Longbourn: Book 4

Mr. Darcy's Daughter: Book 5

Visit the author’s website for complete description of the five novels being offered in this great giveaway.

To qualify for a chance to win this set of books 1-5 of The Pemberley Chronicles, please leave a comment by December 31st answering this question.

Why is Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen’s most popular novel?

Winner to be announced on January 1st. Comments are open to everyone, but only US residents are eligible for the drawing.

27 comments:

I think it hits that perfect balance between romance, comedy and intellectual drama. But most of all, Lizzy is the heroine many readers would like to be in their fantasies.

While I love them as characters, I certainly wouldn't want to be Elinor, Marianne, Fanny, Anne, and would hesitate before turning into Emma. Catherine, however, is probably the heroine to whom I most related. It would also probably be fabulous to be Lady Susan, but as long as you still have a conscience and want to envision yourself as strong, smart, and utterly charming, there's no better model than Elizabeth Bennet.

Because it shows that there is good in everyone, including standoffish Mr. Darcy. Because Elizabeth is one of the strongest characters in literature, but even she's not afraid to admit she's wrong. Because it's a love story that, simply put, makes every woman long for their own Mr. Darcy, whom they can argue with and be passionately in love with.

While Colin Firth in a wet shirt might have done a little to increase readership in the mid-1990's, I think P&P would be the most popular novel anyway for the same reasons that Jane "criticised" it: "it is rather too light, and bright, and sparkling"--all, of course, part of its charm.

Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen's most popular novel for several reasons. At the first sentence - It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife-, it grabs the reader's attention and draws him or her into the novel. It's mix of romance, humor and drama is solid and perfect. The on-goings and outcomes of the novel are believable. The characters are lovable and the heroine Lizzy is admirable as whom almost everyone wants to be.

Well, we have plenty of wit and fun, and characters that stay with you -- there is the comedy of Mr Collins, and we all know someone like the a Bennet sister, and Lady Catherine is truly unforgettable. And we probably know a Wickham type.

But in the end, I imagine as today it was back in the day, all about Lizzie and Darcy. We want her as a friend or be her -- and in the end, we want our Darcy. ;) Either to marry or since we have movies, we can pick our favorite actor. . . but I think it pretty much can be summarized to two words - Elizabeth and Darcy, in the 1800s or today. :)

I think Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen's most popular novel because it's the most accessible. The banter between Lizzy and Darcy is just memorable. And I think people relate to flawed characters. Lizzy and Darcy both have their strengths but they are also flawed. And I think Lizzy's family just draws you in. Much like in the Little Women, the family is such a part of the book.

pride and prejudice is the perfect love story with characters that we can relate to. everyone who reads pride and prejudice knows that lizzy and darcy will be the happiest couple, and what is a better book than finding true love?

Oh gosh, where to begin..it is in my humble opinion the ultimate love story...full of everything one desires in life...triumph over hardship....passion, wealth, great love, desire, the love of family, a bit of drama and of course a happy ending. I think it is a novel that so many people can relate to on so many different levels with each person taking something different from the story. I also truly, truly love the era....The movie is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen, other than Becoming Jane,he landscape, scenery and clothing are all amazing and I can never get enough.

Wow, what a wonderful gift to offer! Hmmm, I think it's popular because of all the inter-relationships between the characters and that it is told by Lizzy. The story is relatable through the ages - 200 years and still counting. We can know someone in our own lives that can be so-and-so.

Jane herself felt Pride and Prejudice too light...but, a general reading public likes this lightness of touch, while showing the flaws of character we all have, our pride, our prejudices in life. She shows each flaw with sublime ease, and matchless touch. On an easy level you see what is written, on a deeper level...reading and understanding the times, you see the prejudices of the Regency period, and Miss Austen's sharp insight and intelligent discourse. See how fast Beau Brummel's fall was...prejudice of fate!

To me it's the most popular becuse it could have been us in the same situation. We all want to be that one girl who wants to be happy and fall in love with a well off good looking man and when he has a true sweet side that makes it the best part.

I think it is the most popular because it is a lot of fun, and it has balance. Not everyone is good-you also have the bad/dissolute, and the ridiculous(some of my favorites). It also is a great love story for many of the characters-an ensemble, if I may call it that.

Pride and Prejudice has to be the best Jane Austen novel because it embodies the definition of a classic love story. The tension that exists between Elizabeth and Darcy only makes their coming together that much sweeter. Not to mention the elusive masculinity of Mr. Darcy. Every great novel should include a mysterious and handsome stranger. It is the perfect love story, and is therefore Jane Austen's most popular novel.

Because it is so true to life. We all have our prejudices, we judge a book by its cover or a person by one action, without knowing the full story, often in life. We make errors in judgement, we make errors in our choices that we wish we could change, we trust people we later find out we shouldn't have (because they charmed us so) or distrust people because they may have hurt our (or that of someone we love) pride.

Sometimes we come from embarassing families, sometimes we have friends who are so anxious to be married they take whomever they can get, sometimes we see foolish young women marry men based on infatuation and see that it does not last if there are no strong character values to back it up.

Many women understand the pressure to marry, many women understand the pain a woman would feel to be called "not pretty enough", many woman would feel hurt for a sister who was pursued and suddenly the man stopped disappeared.

Many people have had others interfere in their personal lives, many people have had so-called-friends or family that are haughty or feel superior, many of us have come across those who feel they are better because they have money.

The dynamics of this novel are those that the majority of us have experienced...we understand Lizzy, we understand Mr Darcy, we even somewhat understand Mrs. Bennet embarassing actions to secure her daughters' futures (they have no other means of support), Lizzy's friend Mrs. Collins' choice in marriage (not everyone has the strength to wait for a true connection), and Lydia's teenage foolishness (many a young girl would like to be the first among her peers to get what the others want, no matter how).

This book, from beginning to end, speaks of the human condition. The two main characters are both likeable, both understandable (even when they are at odds), and I suspect that because our heroine Lizzy is the woman we all want to be...wise, well mannered, strong, well-liked, and well-spoken, that this novel is so very popular among women. She is a role model to many women who read the book. She may very well be the best model of womanhood in literature....a woman who is respectful, yet not a doormat; a woman who cherishes her family and friends, but sees them as they are; a woman who knows she needs to secure her future, but does not succumb to desperate acts in order to do so...no, she will wait for a man who is her equal.

I think P&P is the most popular because it is so readily accessible to the reader. It instantly grabs the reader into the hectic life of the Bennets and then brings the Bentleys and Darcy right in to the scene, stirring things up for the characters and for us.

Elizabeth Bennet is a character we can relate to, we can picture ourselves as, we can wish for as a friend. I personally don't swoon for Mr. Darcy, but he is also very appealing to the reader. At times you dislike him, are intrigued by him, feel a bit sorry for him and ultimately like him. He's anything but a flat character.

I think Pride & Prejudice is the most popular because Elizabeth is because we can all relate. Who in this world would have ever thought a book written over two hundred years ago would still have such an impact in today's society. Its the formula used for just about every romantic comedy. Actually, my own early experiences with love (they would be more of black comedy genre)have mirrored P&P. I didn't find Jane until P&P 2005, fell head over heals in love or lust with Matthew Macfadyen's Darcy. Since then I've read anything 'Regency thru Victorian' that I can get my hands on. I average six novels a week. I've turned my TV off for good, and discovered a whole new form of entertainment. Thank you Miss Austen

Pride and Prejudice is, among many other wonderful attributes, relatable and timeless. Elizabeth's wit proves brain over beauty, Darcy's haught reminds that people are sometimes misunderstood and not always what they seem. But the connection between the two overcomes obstacles~plus throw in eccentric characters such as Mr. Collins, and you will not only feel romanced, but will stiffle giggles as well!

Persuasion, an annotated edition, edited by Robert Morrison: A Review

Jane Austen Still Present in Society

Elizabeth Langland, literature scholar at Arizona State University, discussed Jane Austen's relevance today in a lecture she gave last year. Click on image to read excerpts of her speech.

Jane Austen's Crime

Podcast with Susannah Fullerton from JASA

Poll: What did you think of Kate Middleton's wedding dress?

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In honor of the royal wedding: Princess Charlotte's wedding dress, 1816

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The Obituary of Charlotte Collins by Andrew Capes

Click on this link to read this amazing historic artifact!

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History of London: Wattle and Daub

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A silhouette of "Caky" for sale: Nanny to Edward Austen Knight's children

Find out more about this auction item by clicking on the image. Jane Austen most likely knew Caky. Jane Austen most likely knew Caky.

Interview with Susannah Fullerton, President of the Jane Austen Society of Australia

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